Robert in new Portsmouth outburst

Mandaric asks for Robert patience

Laurent Robert believes he is being forced out of Portsmouth and being blamed for the club's troubles.

The controversial 30-year-old winger was dropped from the Pompey squad which lost to Chelsea on Saturday.

He told the News of the World: "I don't know why I was not in the squad. You'll have to ask chairman [Milan] Mandaric.

"It seems that when we play badly or lose it is my fault. I have been made a scapegoat because we have not been winning enough games."

He added: "There are people at this club who are trying to get me out."

Some players said bad things about Alain - It made his job very difficult Laurent Robert

Pompey's caretaker-manager Joe Jordan insisted he picked the team he believed was capable of getting a result against Chelsea, but the move to drop Robert has angered the Frenchman.

He said: "I am not injured and I have been training with the team all week.

"Then on Friday, caretaker-boss Joe Jordan tells me I am not playing and I had to train with three kids. I am very angry and upset."

Robert was fined by Pompey recently after a so-called misunderstanding over his refusal to be a substitute against Sunderland.

He apologised for the incident but, for a player who rarely fails to speak his mind, he is unlikely to have helped his cause with these fresh comments.

The left-sided midfielder has also condemned team-mates for openly criticising former boss Alain Perrin, who left the club on Thursday after a poor start to the season.

Robert added: "I came here because of Alain but some players said bad things about him. It made Alain's job very difficult."